Refrigerating apparatus



July 24, 1962 w. M. THOMAS REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. '9, 1960 INVENTOR. WENDELL M. THOMAS BY g I His AttorneyJuly 24, 1962 W. M. THOMAS REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Sept. 9, 1960 INVENTOR. WENDELL H. THOMAS BY was? His A/fom y 1962w. M. THOMAS 3,045,446

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 9', l

INVENTOR. 3 WENDELL M. THOMAS g His After I llnited Etates 3,M5,445Patented July 24, 1962 3,045,4 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Wendell M.Thomas, Clayton, Ohio, assignor to General The present invention relatesto refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to an ice block maker.

An object of this invention is to provide an automatic ice maker of thetype disclosed in Patent No. 2,806,387 which eliminates the need for theheaters 47 and 119 and their controls as shown in said patent.

Another object f this invention is to increase the output of the abovementioned ice maker without impairing its operating efficiency.

Still another object of this invention is to reduce the maximum motorsize required for operating the refrigerant compressor used in the icemaker.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide acontrol for an automatic ice maker of the type shown in said patentwhich terminates the supply of hot gas to the plate evaporators andwhich causes flow of Water over the plate evaporators immediately afterthe ice slabs leave the freezing plates so as to prevent needless buildup of pressure in the plate evaporators.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearlyshown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an ice block maker cabinet havingportions thereof broken away to show the location and arrangement ofVarious elements within the cabinet;

FIGURE 2 isan enlarged front view of the ice maker cabinet shown inFIGURE 1 partly in section and partly in elevation; and

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view of various elements of the ice blockmaker and showing an electrical circuit therefor.

The present invention is an improvement over the ice block makingapparatus illustrated and fully described in the patents to J. R.Pichler, No. 2,806,357, dated September 17, 1957, and Marshall W. Baker,No. 2,784,563,

dated March 12, 1957, and assigned to the assignee of the presentapplication. Reference to these patents is made for a clearunderstanding of the ice block making apparatus herein more or lessconcisely shown and described. Certain features over those shown in thePichler and Baker patents are herein desclosed and exemplified in orderto carry out the objects of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings I show, in FIGURE 1 thereof, an ice makingapparatus of the type capable of producing small blocks of ice for tableuse including a cabinet comprisin a plurality of walls 17 having anysuitable or conventional insulating material 16 therein forming aninsulated chamber 20 within the cabinet. Chamber 20 is disposed over anon-insulated machine compartment 21 provided in the lower portion ofcabinet 15. -A plurality of separate unitary freezing members 23 arestationarily mounted, preferably at an angle, in the upper portion ofchamber MP. The inclined freezing plate members 23 are disposed inspaced apart relationship one above the other and are refrigerantevaporators forming a part of a closed refrigerating system, to behereinafter described, associated with cabinet 15. A metal cover 36 isspaced from the flat upper surface of the lowermost member 23 and isprovided with an opening 37 which receives a part of a thermostaticcontrol means. This thermostatic control means comprises an adjustablearm 41 having its one end pivotally mounted to bracket 42, welded uponcover 36, by a pin 43. The other end of arm 41 carries a feelerreceptacle 44 (see FIGURE 2) containing a coiled tube 46 disposedthereabove (see FIGURE 3). The feeler receptacle 44 is preferably madeadjustable in any suitable manner relative to the flat upper surface ofthe lowermost freezing member 23 so as to vary the thickness of a slabof ice formed on the top surface of this member and, consequently, onthe top surface of the other or uppermost of the members 23. Tube 46 hasits end at the coiled portion thereof sealed and has its other endconnected to an expansible and contractable element 49 located in asuitable or conventional electric snap switch 50 (see FIGURE 3). Theconstruction and arrangement of control or switch 50 with respect to thelower freezing member 23 is clearly shown and fully described in thepatents hereinbefore referred to. As before stated, the two verticallyspaced apart freezing members or plates 23 form refrigerant evaporatingportions of a closed refrigerating system and each has a plurality ofconduit connections with a refrigerant translating device of therefrigcrating system mounted in the machine compartment 21 andcomprising a motor-compressor unit 51 (see FIG- URE 3) connected, by aconduit 52, with a condenser 53 which may be cooled in any suitable orconventional manner. Condenser 53 is connected to a receiver 54 andconduits 55' and 56 connect this receiver in parallel circuit relationwith the refrigerant evaporating passages within the two freezing platemember 23. Thermostatic expansion valves 57 and 57A are interposed inconduits 55 and 56 respectively and each has a thermal bulb 53 and 58Aconnected thereto by a tube 59 and 59A respectively for operating thevalves 57 and 57A as is conventoinal in the art. Bulbs 58 and 58A aresecured to the'parallelly connected gaseous refrigerant return conduits6t and 61, leading to unit 51, and are thermally responsive to thetemperature of these conduits. The outlets of the separate plateevaporators 23 are connected by the conduits 60 and 61 and a main orcommon conduit to the intake side of the compressor of themotor-compressor unit 51. A conduit 62 extends from the top of receiver54 and is connected to a solenoid operated valve 63 having branch pipesconnecting the same directly to the refrigerant expansion passages inthe two plate evaporator members 23. Valve 63 normally closes conduit ozto prevent its communication with the refrigerant passage in members 23during a refrigerating cycle of operation of the refrigerating system.

Means is provided for flowing a film of water over each of the spacedapart freezing plate evaporators 23 from a main or supply pipecontaining water under pressure. This means comprises manifolds in theform of headers 66 one of which is located at. the upper end of eachinclined member 23 and provided with small holes or orifices fordistributing water over the freezing plate members 23. Headers 66 havesupply conduits 73 and 74 connected thereto and these conduits connectwith a common pipe 75 which communicates with a centrifugal water pump76 located in the bottom of a water sump or reservoir forming receptacle77. A motor 78 located below receptacle 77 is employed to operate thewater pump 76. A valve 81, actuated by a float 82, controls the flow ofwater through a water main or supply pipe 83, containing water underpressure, into the sump or reservoir 77. Receptacle or reservoir 77 isalso provided with a siphon pipe 36 which periodically draws water outof the receptacle 77 to aid the apparatus in producing clear ice blocks.A trough 87 is located below the lower end of each of the members 23 andthese troughs each have a pipe 87A connected thereto and extending intothe receptacle 77. The troughs 87 receive excess water directed over theplate members 23 and convey this water into the sump or reservoirreceptacle. A baffie 88 is located at the lower end of each member 23 todirect water flowing therefrom into the trough 87 and for preventingexcessive water splash. These baflles 08 are each hingedly mounted so asto be swingably moved out of the path of slabs of ice released andsliding from the members 23.

In the upper left hand portion of chamber 20 there is mounted twoinclined ice cutters, grids or dissectors 90 and 90A. The dissectors 90and 90A are disposed in spaced apart relationship one above the other atthe lower side of the freezing plate members 23 and each is adapted toreceive a slab of ice from the plate freezer member with which it isassociated. Each dissector ice cutting grid 90 and 90A comprises a frame91 having sets of spaced apart wires 92 and 93 extending thereacross inopposite directions to one another. The lower portion of insulatedchamber 20 forms storage means for ice blocks and this storage means hasa partition 94 therein dividing same into separate side by side iceblock storage compartments or bins 95 and 96. The ice block storagemeans, bins or compartments are normally closed by an insulatedvertically slidable door structure 97 and inner tiltable guards orretainers 98 (see FIGURES l and 2) arranged as desired and which may beopened or tilted angularly automatically in response to sliding door 97into open position to afiord access to ice blocks in the storage means.A drain pipe 99 leads from the bottom of the ice block storage means toconvey water, entering same from the siphon 86 associated withreceptacle 77 and water resulting from melting ice in the storage means,out of the cabinet.

Also in the present disclosure I provide each bin 95 and 96 with athermal bulb 101 and 101A respectively which are connected by tubes 101Band 101C to one end of a conduit 102. The other end of conduit 102 isconnected or sealed to an expansible and contractable bellows mounted ina bin thermostatic electric switch 103 of any desired or conventionalconstruction. The bulbs 101 and 101A, tubes 101B and 101C and thebellows in switch 103 are charged with a volatile fluid and then sealedto form a temperature responsive unit for actuating switch 103. Thebulbs 101 and 101A may be placed at any desired height within chamber 20to maintain a predetermined supply of ice blocks in the compartments orbins 95 and 96. When, however, ice blocks accumulate in either one ofthe storage bins up to or above the bulb therein to contactsame the bulbresponds to the temperature of the ice and will cause switch 103 to shutdown or render the refrigerating system inoperative to produce ice onthe freezing plate members 23.

Electrical Circuit The one hundred and fifteen volt power mainsindicated at L and LA (see FIGURE 3) lead to a low voltage, say, forexample, an eleven volt, transformer 116. A branch wire 121 leads fromwire 117 to wires 92 of the lower ice cutter grid or dissector 90 and abranch wire 122 leads from wire 118 to wires 93 of this lower dissector,which are connected in series with wires 92, to continuously energizethe dissector or ice severing grid 90. A branch wire 123 leads from wire117 to wires 92 of the upper ice cutter grid or dissector 90A and abranch wire 124 leads from wire 118 to wires 93 of this upper dissector,which are also connected in series with wires 92 thereof, tocontinuously energize the dissector 90A. The one hundred and fifteenvolt circuit includes a wire 126 branched from power main L and leadinginto the bin thermostat switch 103. Another wire 127 branches from powermain LA and also leads into the bin switch 103. The wires 126 and 127extend from switch 103 to the electric motor of the motorcompressor unit51 to cause continuous operation of this unit which is interrupted onlyby actuation of switch 103 in response to a predetermined accumulationof ice blocks within the storage means or bins 95 and 96. A branch wire128 leads from wire 127, between switch 103 and unit 51, and isconnected to a movable arm of the switch 106 which is controlled by thesolenoid 105. The switch 106 is biased to the up or solid line positionwhen the solenoid is deenergized. Another branch wire 131 leads fromwire 126, between switch 103 and unit 51, and is connected to a wire 132which enters one side of a solenoid in valve 63. Wire 132 extends to thewater pump motor 78. A wire extends from pump mortor 78 and is connectedto the bottom contact of switch 106 as shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawing.The upper contact 136 of switch 106 is connected, by a wire 137, withthe solenoid in valve 63. The contact on arm 129 of switch 50 is adaptedto alternately engage or disengage the contacts 134 and 136 in responseto temperature conditions in the feeler receptacle 44 associated withthe lowermost freezing member 23.

A wire 117 leads from the transformer 116 to the solenoid 105 whichcontrols the switch 106. The switch 106 moves to the full line positionwhenever the solenoid 105 is deenergized and moves to the dotted lineposition in response to the energization of solenoid 105. When theswitch 106 moves to its full line position, the solenoid valve 63 isopened so as to allow the flow of relatively hot refrigerant into theplate evaporators 23 so as to cause release of the ice slabs which havebeen formed thereon. When the ice slab on the lower plate 23 reaches thedesired thickness, the ice thickness thermostat control switch arm 129engages contact 136. Such movement of the switch arm 129 serves todeenergize the solenoid 105 and thereby initiate the removal of the iceslabs which have formed on the evaporators 23 and to open the circuit tothe water pump motor 78. When the upper and lower ice slabs have bothbeen released, they will strike the switches 107 and 108, respectively,so as to immediately complete a circuit to the solenoid 105 via thecontacts 129 and 136. Energization of the solenoid 105 moves the switch106 into the dotted line position to deenergize the solenoid valve 63and energize the water pump 78. By virtue of this circuit arrangementthe ice freezing cycle begins even before the switch contact 129 returnsinto engagement with the switch contact 134. When the switch contact 129reengages the contact 134, the solenoid 105 remains energized even afterthe ice slabs, which were formerly holding the switches 107 and 108closed, have been cut into cubes and have dropped into the ice storagecompartment so as to allow the switches 107 and 108 to reopen. It hasbeen found that the ice thickness thermostat 50 requires some time towarm up after the ice slabs have been released and therefore theswitches 107 and 108, in effect, serve to override the thermostat 50 atthat point in the cycle when the ice slabs first leave the plateevaporators 23.

Operation Assume that the ice block maker is properly connected to asource of water supply, to a drain and its electric circuit is nowenergized by plugging an extension cord, leading from the cabinet, intoan electric outlet. Electric current now flows from the mains L and LAthrough closed switch 103 to the motor-compressor unit 51 to causeoperation thereof. Simultaneously therewith electric current flows fromtransformer 116 through wires 117 and 118 and branch wires 121, 122, 123and 124 to continuously energize both of the ice cutters or dissectorsand 90A by directing thirty to thirty-five watts of current into theresistance wires 92 and 93 of each to heat these wires. At this timeelectric current also flows through wire 128, switch 106 (which nowoccupies the dotted line position) and then to water pump motor 78. Thecircuit is completed back to the power main L from motor 78 throughwires 131 and 126. Water fills receptacle 77 to a predetermined levelunder control of float valve 81. Solenoid valve 63 is closed while motor78 operates. The pump 76 lifts water, from receptacle 77 by way of pipe75 and conduits 73 and 74, to each of the headers 66 of the superimposedfreezing plate denser 53 flows into receiver 54 where it is furthercooled and collected. Liquid refrigerant enters the conduits 55 and 56and flows to the expansion valves 57 and 57A.

This liquid refrigerant is directed into the passages of both platemembers 23, by the expansion valves, where it evaporates, in removingheat from the plates, and the evaporated or gaseous refrigerant isreturned through conduits 60 and 61, to the compressor unit 51. Therefrigerating effect produced by members 23 causes water from the filmthereof flowing over the plates to freeze and accumulate thereon in theform of thin cakes or slabs of ice. ice on at least the lowermost of thefreezing plates 23 reaches the feeler receptacle 44, it cools the coiledportion of tube 46. The temperature of tube 46 is lowered to the desiredpoint, in accordance with a predetermined thickness of accumulated iceon lower member 23, and element 49 of switch 50 will contract and causemovement of switch arm 129 away from contact 134 and into engagementwith contact 136. When arm 129 disengages contact 134, of switch 50, thecircuit to the solenoid coil 105 is deenergized so as to deenergize thewater pump motor 78 and energize the solenoid in valve 63. Energizationof the solenoid in valve 63 causes this valve to open and hot gaseousrefrigerant is now circulated from the receiver 54 and condenser 53,through conduit 62, valve 63 and the branch conduits leading therefromdirectly into the passages in both of the freezing plates 23 and thenceback to the compressor of unit 51 which continues to operate at thistime. The thermostatic control or switch 50, thus, serves as a meansresponsive to a predetermined thickness of ice on one of the members 23to alternately refrigerate the freezing plates and to head them. Switch50 also serves as a means for simultaneously stopping the flow of waterover both freezing plates 23, rendering the refrigerating meansineffective and for initiating heating of the plates by rendering theheating means, hot gas lines 62, effective. Heat of the gaseousrefrigerant flowing through the passages in the plate members 23 thawsand substantially simultaneously breaks the bond between both plates andthe slabs of ice previously formed thereon. The slabs of ice releasedfrom the lower and upper plates 23 are adapted to slide therefrom ontothe inclined ice dissectors 90 and 90A respectively associatedtherewith. The sliding slabs of ice engage and move the baflies 88 abouttheir pivotal When the thickness of the cake or slab of x mounting outof the path of movement of the ice. As

the slabs of ice slide off the freezing plates 23 onto the dissectors 90and 90A the one or lower slab closes the switch 108 and the upper slabcloses the switch 107.

- When these two switches are closed and the contact arm engages contact136, the solenoid 105 is energized whereby the water pump operates andthe solenoid valve 63 is closed. This reduces to a minimum the intervalof time between the removal of slabs of ice from both members 23 and asubsequent ice slab freezing cycle. Movement of arm 129 away fromcontact 136 of switch 50 to the contact 134 will take place before theice slabs which hold the switches 107 and 108 closed drop away fromthese switches.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed,constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An ice making apparatus for cyclically freezing water into ice andreleasing the ice comprising in combination, a freezing plate, means forcirculating a film of Water across said plate, means for refrigeratingsaid plate to freeze water circulated thereacross into a layer of icethereon, means for heating said plate to loosen the layer of icetherefrom whereby the ice gravitationally slides ofl the plate in theform of a slab,'a thermal element associated with said freezing plateand adapted to be directly contacted by the thickness of a layer of iceformed thereon, a switch operable by said element controlling saidapparatus for initiating alternate ice freezing and ice releasing cyclesthereof, and means actuated in response to a predetermined position ofmovement of a loosened ice slab with respect to said plate foroverriding said switch for initiating ice freezing even though saidswitch momentarily remains in an ice releasing cycle position.

2. An ice making apparatus for cyclically freezing water into ice andreleasing the ice comprising in combination, a pair of freezing plates,means for circulating films of water across said plates, means forrefrigerating said plates to freeze water circulated thereacross into alayer of ice thereon, said last named means including a compressor, acondenser, and means forming evaporator passages in said freezing plate,means including a solenoid valve for directing hot gas from saidcondenser into said evaporator passages for heating said plates toloosen the ice therefrom whereby the ice gravitationally slides off theplate in the form of a slab, a thermal element associated with one ofsaid freezing plates and adapted to be directly contacted by thethickness of a layer of ice formed thereon, a switch operable by saidelement controlling said apparatus and said solenoid valve forinitiating alternate ice freezing and ice releasing cycles thereof, andmeans actuated in response to ,release of both of said ice slabs fromsaid plates for overriding said switch to terminate the ice releasingcycle.

3. An ice making apparatus for cyclically freezing water into ice andreleasing the ice comprising in combination, a pair of freezing plates,means for circulating films of Water across said plates, means forrefrigerating said plates to freeze water circulated thereacross into alayer of ice thereon, means for heating said plates to loosen the icetherefrom whereby the ice gravitationally slides off the plate in theform of a slab, a thermal element associated with one of said freezingplates and adapted to be directly contacted by the thickness of a layerof iceformed thereon, a switch operable by said element controlling saidapparatus for initiating alternate ice freezing and ice releasing cyclesthereof, and means actuated in response to release of bothof said iceslabs from said plates for overriding said switch to terminate the icereleasing cycle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,682,155 Ayres June 29, 1954 2,806,357 Pichler Sept. 17, 1957 2,934,912Rodgers May 3, 1960

